The dog days of rain and Thursdays

Published 2:57 pm, Sunday, January 25, 2015

It’s the middle of the afternoon, and I’m sitting at my desk writing another column. I don’t want to write today, but there’s no other choice if I wish do a column. Newspapers are funny that way; they expect deadlines to be met — and on time.

A few years ago, one newspaper got skipped when I forgot to send in my column. When the newspaper was published, there was a blank page with my picture where the column usually ran. The caption appeared in larger than life letters, reading “Look who forgot to send in his column!” I never missed their deadline again.

Pat and I were up early today — really early! My blood sugar level had dropped into the 40s, so I was up earlier than normal taking my “sugar fix,” and then snoozing in the recliner. Pat came in around 5 a.m., too early around our house, complaining about the hunger pangs keeping her awake. After she had Papaya, and I a glass of OJ, we fell asleep in our recliners. A couple of hours later, I awakened alone; she’d abandoned me for a spot beneath a warm blanket in bed.

By then, it was time for Boots and me to take our morning trek around the park; unfortunately for Boots, the rain had begun to fall. Some of you know Boots detests rainy weather. Where most dogs rush to splash into any standing puddle of water, Boots has to be dragged outside when there’s heavy dew. So he, draped in his mini raingear, and I in my plastic hooded-slicker, struck out for the park to greet other crazies, dogs, squirrels and the like! We saw no one, not a living thing — we were all alone; raindrops and puddles were ours for exploring. Boots would take 10 steps, then shake off any droplets, which had fallen on his very short, furry coat. Our walk was one quick sashay down the wetter than usual trail, and around the sloggy park.

No coaxing necessary, as we headed for the house. Areas, which normally attracted his expert tracking attention — were quickly ignored or bypassed completely. He couldn’t get back into the house quickly enough. Once inside, he headed for his blankets in the utility room to roll around and shake off any water left on his short coat. Today, he didn’t seem to mind being toweled off.

Normally after our walk, he forces himself into my lap as I read The Courier. Today, he headed straight for the sofa and immediately covered himself with a fuzzy blanket. Three hours later, without movement, he was still covered with the exception of his back legs and tail.

But he was doing exactly what I wanted to do, on this cold and rainy day. No television, with talking, bobble-head reporters; explaining away Obama’s remarks in his SOTU address; or Boehner’s poke in Obama’s eye, for inviting Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu to speak before Congress! No postulating, or hypothesizing about the New England Patriots letting the air out of game balls. No Jerry Jones lamenting whether Dez Bryant made the catch! No Hill or Bill, or Pelosi or Reid or starving animals or people in need! No morbid, senseless commercials about a company, whose icon is a lizard, or Marie bragging about the 50 pounds she’d lost!

All I’d wanted to do on this cold and rainy, rainy day was to slide on to a soft, comfortable sofa, pull a warm, soft blanket up to my chin and let the zzzz’s fall where they may! But, that was never to be. Unwanted telephone calls from promoters trying to scratch out a living, by offering credit cards, or a five-minute political survey, or a bath you can step into, or a medallion to wear around the neck, and never feel alone for the rest of your life. No it was not to be, that I should put the world on hold, and enjoy the fruits of my laziness; by watching raindrops as large as plums, splash up from the patio and cascade down the widow pane, making patterns on the glass, while lulling me into a deep and satisfying slumber! It was at that precise moment, I realized that I really wanted to lead a dog’s life!

Doyle Driver is a native Texan reared in Hardeman County and a 42-year resident of Conroe. He can be reached at doyledriver@yahoo.com.